A new species of Harpactus Shuckard (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) from the Balkan Peninsula

6 Pages·2001·2.6 MB·

by  T Ljubomirov

Revue suisse deZoologie 108 (4): 905-910; décembre 2001
A new species of Harpactus Shuckard (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)
from the Balkan Peninsula
Toshko LJUBOMIROV
Institute ofZoology, Bulgarian Academy ofSciences, 1. Tzar Osvoboditel Boulevard,
Sofia, 1000, Bulgaria.
A new species ofHarpactus Shuckard (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) from
the Balkan Peninsula. - The new species Harpactus priscus is described
from several localities ofBulgaria, based on five males.
Key-words: Hymenoptera - Sphecidae - Harpactus - taxonomy.
INTRODUCTION
Since the first member of the genus Harpactus was described in 1792 by
Latreille, 101 species and subspecies names have been proposed. A total of72 species
and 7 subspecies are valid now. Species of the genus occur in the Afrotropical,
Holarctic and Oriental Zoogeographie Regions.
Thirteen species ofHarpactus are currently known from the Balkan Peninsula:
affinis (Spinola), consanguineus (Handlirsch), croaticus Vogrin, elegans (Lepeletier),
exiguus (Handlirsch),formosus (Jurine), laevis (Latreille), lunatus (Dahlbom), mora-
vicus (Snoflak), niger (A. Costa), picticornis Vogrin, tauricus Radoszkowsky, and
tumidus (Panzer) (Handlirsch, 1888, 1895; Maidl, 1922; Vogrin, 1954; de Beaumont,
1965, 1967; Scobiola-Palade, 1967, 1972, 1974; Barbier, 1992; Ljubomirov, 1996;
Lyubomirov, 2000 among others). Two of them, croaticus and picticornis are pro-
bably endemic. The species described below is supposed to be endemic as well.
Abbreviations used in description are: AOD, anterior ocellus diameter; OOL.
shortest distance from aposteriorocellus to nearereye margin; POL, shortest distance
between posteriorocelli; PD, puncture diameter.
Harpactuspriscus sp. n. Figs 1, 3, 5
NW
Material examined : Holotype: male, Bulgaria: Iskar Valley: 1km Passarell vili. -
820m, 9. VII. 1995, T. Ljubomirov. Paratypes: 3 males, Bulgaria: Strouma Valley: Yavorov
Station - 210m, 1. V. - 1. VI. 1993, Moericke trap, V. Sakalian; 1 male. Bulgaria: Tundza
Valley: Lessovo vili. - 80m, 24. V. 1995, I. Stoyanov. Holotype and one paratype (from
Strouma Valley; genitalia lost) are deposited in the collection ofMuséum d'histoire naturelle,
Geneva. Other material is deposited in the authors collection, Institute ofZoology, Bulgarian
AcademyofSciences.
Diagnosis
The following combination of features differs Harpactus priscus sp. n. from
other species of the genus: 1. Body without clear-cut red coloration; 2. Gastral terga
Manuscriptaccepted 10.04.2001
906 T- LJUBOMIROV
I-V with ivory white bands at least lateroapically; 3. Propodeal enclosure 1.7x as wide
as long, entirely smooth (excluding median longitudinal furrow); 4. Body setae
scattered, notconcealing integument.
Description (holotype)
Colour. Black with extensive pale coloration. Following structures yellow:
scape and pedicel (except black above); flagellumbeneath; clypeus; labrum; mandible
except reddish brown apex; subantennal sclerite; band along ventral 3/4 of inner
orbits (width of band equal to antennal socket diameter); the three apical maxillary
palpimeres; collar and pronotal lobe; small spot on tegula; scutellum; small spot on
mesosternal surface in front ofmidcoxae; fore- and midtibiae and tarsi entirely; fore-
and midfemora in front, beneath and apically; apical half of fore coxae; apical spots
on midcoxae and midtrochanters; extreme apex of hindfemur on outer surface;
hindtibiae in front, beneath and apically. Following structures ivory white: transverse
subapical band on gastral tergum I, narrowly interrupted in middle and slightly
broadened laterally; transverse subapical band on gastral tergum II largely narrowed
in middle; transverse subapical bands on gastral tergaIII and IV almost equal in width
medially and laterally; slightly broadened in middle transverse subapical spot on
gastral tergum V. Following testaceous to reddish: small spots behind vertex adjacent
to orbit, one behind each eye; apical half of gastral tergum I (excluding ivory white
coloration); hindtarsi. Wings clear, veins dark brown.
Structure. Head in frontal view subcircular. Clypeus moderately convex,
clypeal free margin with translucent lip wide about 1/6 of clypeal height (Fig. 1),
clypeal surface finely granulated with shallow punctures which are one diameterapart
from each other (PD=l/4 AOD). Labrum finely granulated, dull, its free margin
without notch. Frons finely granulated, dull in lower half and relatively shining in
upper. On the upper half micropunctures separated by 0.5x of their own diameters
(PD=l/8 AOD) as well as macropunctures separated by 1.0-2.0x of their own
diameters (PD=l/4 AOD) are present. Diameter of antennal sockets equal to 1.2x
AOD, space between antennal sockets - 0.75x AOD, shortest distance between each
antennal socket and nearer eye margin equals to AOD. shortest distance between
antennal socket and frontoclypeal suture - 0.5x AOD. Vertex shiny, with micro-
punctures slightly smaller and rather scattered than on upper frons but obviously
denser in intraocellar area. OOL:POL=2:l. Posterior ocelli placed at the level of
posterior ocular margins. Head behind punctured as vertex but macropunctures
become slightly scattered downward. Flagellomeres I to VII without notches, fla-
gellomeres VIII to X each with shallow preapical notch ventrally (notch on flagel-
lomer VIII deepest), flagellomer XI slightly incurved (Fig. 3.). Pronotal collar finely
granulated with posterior margin narrowly translucent. Scutum with regular
micropunctures separated by 0.5-1.Ox their own diameters (PD=1/10 AOD), and with
macropunctures separated by 1.0-3.Ox of their own diameters (PD=l/4 AOD).
Scutellum shiny, with micropunctures sparser than scutal micropunctures and with
macropunctures separated by 2.0-6.Ox of their own diameters (PD=l/5 AOD). Meta-
notum with macropunctures same as scutellum, micropunctures are denser forming
ANEW SPECIES OFHARPACTUS 907
irregular groups. Mesopleuron shiny, with micropunctures separated by 0.5-2.0x of
their own diameters (PD=l/8-l/9 AOD) and macropunctures presented mainly in
central area where they are separated by 0.5-1.Ox oftheirown diameters (PD=l/3-l/4
AOD). Metapleuron less shiny, with micropunctures same as mesopleuron, without
macropunctures. Propodeal enclosure (Fig. 5.) 1.7x as wide as long, smooth, with
deep median furrow, with subcontiguous micropunctures (PD=1/10 AOD), and
without macropunctures; remaining dorsum sculptured as propodeal enclosure. Hind
propodeal surface sculptured as propodeal enclosure but micropunctures are rather
scattered and fine: in upper half micropunctures separated by 2.0 - 3.Ox of their own
diameters but in lower halfbecome 4.0-5.Ox oftheir own diameters. In the upper end
ofhind propodeal surfacejust behind the apex ofpropodeal enclosure is placed deep
fossa giving downward median carina. Propodeal sides sculptured as propodeal
enclosure but relatively dull before spiracular grooves. First gastral tergum shiny,
finely microrugose, with micropunctures separated by 1.0-l.lx oftheirown diameters
(PD=l/9 AOD) slightly sparser in apical half, and macropunctures separated by 2.0 -
4.Ox of their own diameters (PD=l/6 AOD). Second gastral tergum shiny, finely
transversely microrugose (but coarser than first tergum), with micropunctures sepa-
rated by 1.0-1.5x of their own diameters (PD=l/8 AOD) and with macropunctures
separated by 1.0-2.5x oftheir own diameters (PD=l/4 AOD). Remaining visible terga
(excluding seventh) shiny, with micropunctures separated by 0.5-1.Ox of their own
diameters (PD=l/8 AOD), and with macropunctures separated by 2.0-4.Ox of their
own diameters (macropunctures are not present in anterior third of each tergum).
Second gastral sternum shiny, finely microsculptured, with micropunctures separated
by 1.0-2.Ox their own diameters (PD=l/9 AOD), and with macropunctures separated
by 1.0-2.0x oftheir own diameters (PD=l/5 AOD). Remaining visible sterna with the
samebut somewhat weaker sculpture.
Vestiture. Body setae appressed to suberect, not concealing integument. Upper
clypeal half and face under antennal sockets covered with appressed silvery setae as
long as 0.6-1.3x AOD. Same type of pubescence occurs on mesopleuron in front of
omaulus and ventrally in front of midcoxae, apicolaterally on dorsal propodeal
surface and behind spiracular groove on propodeal sides. Rest of the body covered
AOD
with greyish suberect pubescence (setae averaging about l.Ox excluding vertex,
where setae are as long as 1.2-1.3x AOD).
Length. 6.1mm.
Variation
The paratype from Tundza Valley has no reddish coloration behind vertex nor
on gastral tergum I; ivory white subapical spot on gastral tergum V is not broadened
in middle, whitish subapical bands on gastral terga III and IV are slightly interrupted
in middle. Paratypes from Strouma Valley have much more reduced reddish color-
ation (adjacent just to ivory white coloration) on gastral tergum I compared to the
holotype; whitish subapical bands on gastral terga III and IV are slightly interrupted
in middle; propodeal enclosure has several irregular obscure rugae in anterior half;
gastral sternum II is slightly coarser micropunctured. The paratype from Tundza
908 T. LJUBOMIROV
Figs 1-6
1: Harpactus prisons sp. n.. holotype - clypeus. 2: Harpactus quinquefasciatus Kazenas,
holotype - clypeus. 3: Harpactus priscus sp. n., paratype. Strouma Valley - flagellum. 4:
Harpactus quinquefasciatus Kazenas, holotype - flagellum. 5: Harpactus priscus sp. n..
paratype, Tundza Valley - propodeal enclosure. 6: Harpactus quinquefasciatus Kazenas,
holotype - propodealenclosure. Scalebars=0.1 mm.
Valley is slightly smaller than the holotype (6.0mm). Paratypes from Strouma Valley
range in length from4.9 to 5.4mm. Length-width ratio ofthe last fourflagellomeres is
presented in Table 1. All examined specimens have two apical midtibial spurs.
Etymology
Priscus is a latin adjective meaning ancient, with reference to a combination of
plesiomorphic character states in this species (lack of clear-cut red coloration and
presence ofyellow subapical bands on gastral tergaIto V).
1
A NEW SPECIES OFHARPACTUS 909
Table 1. Length-widthratioofthelastfourflagellomeres in typeseries.
Material flagellomere8 flagellomere9 flagellomere 10 flagellomere 1
Holotype 11/10 10.10 10/10 11/8
Paratype: TundzaValley 11/10 10/10 10/10 16/9
Paratype: StroumaValley 12/8 10/9 9/8 13/7
Paratype: StroumaValley 10/9 9/9 9/8 14/8
Paratype: StroumaValley 10/9 9/9 10/9 12/8
DISCUSSION
In most structural respects H. prisais sp. n. resembles H. quinquefasciatus
Kazenas (Kazenas, 1989). The latter is still known by its holotype only (examined)
from Betpakdala desert (Kazakhstan). The new species can be distinguished from
quinquefasciatus by the shape of clypeal free margin (compare Figs 1 and 2), the
shape ofpenultimate flagellomeres (compare Figs 3 and 4), and the sculpture of the
propodeal enclosure (compare Figs 5 and 6). There are some additional differences.
H. quinquefasciatus has clypeal disc swollen in ventral quarterjust before clypeal lip.
In H. prisais sp. n. clypeal disk is evenly convex. H. quinquefasciatus has sparser
punctuation on frons, scutum, gastral terga I - II and gastral sterna II - III, in the new
species these parts are densely punctured. H. quinquefasciatus has yellow spotted
metanotum, which is black in H. prisais. Most of the characters of H. prisais sp. n.
resemble also those of H. betpakdalensis Kazenas from Betpakdala desert (Kazakh-
stan) (Kazenas, 1988). There are some important differences between the two species.
H. priscus sp. n. has macropunctures on scutum and scutellum which are lacking inH.
betpakdalensis. Propodeal enclosure in H. priscus n. sp. is smooth, but micro-
reticulated in H. betpakdalensis (according to Kazenasvs description). Body setae in
H. priscus sp. n. are not concealing integument anywhere. In H. betpakdalensis,
according to Nemkov (1996), vestiture is abundant, concealing integument on meso-
pleuron and propodeum. The described new species differs from most species of
Harpactus from Balkan Peninsula in having black/white thorax and smooth propodeal
enclosure. The only other Harpactus with a black/white thorax and in some degree
smooth propodeal enclosure are: lunatus (Dahlbom), niger (A. Costa), picticornis
Vogrin, and tumidus tumidus (Panzer). In H. picticornis the comparison is made
following the original description of Vogrin (1954). The four species can be
distinguished from H. priscus by lacking a pale coloration on gastral terga I, III, and
IV. In H. priscus gastral terga I - V possess each a pale band. In addition, propodeal
enclosure in H. niger has few punctures and gastral terga I - II are red in H. tumidus
tumidus.
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